The present invention disclosed herein relates to an apparatus of measuring the amount of feed, and more particularly, to an apparatus of measuring the amount of feed using a weight sensor which can automatically measure the amount of feed intake of livestock in real-time and thus enable the growth management of livestock and efficient feed management in accordance with the amount of feed intake.
Generally, a livestock pen has two functions of streamlining livestock management and protecting livestock from natural weather.
Accordingly, the livestock pen needs good location, direction, ventilation, natural lighting and heat insulation, and also needs appropriate equipment for feeding period, cleaning, and sanitary control.
The type of livestock pen is roughly classified into an individual feeding type and a group feeding type depending on the kind and number of livestock accommodated in the livestock pen.
The former is used to accommodate livestock for breeding and birthing, and the latter is used to accommodate growing livestock or productive livestock (pig, dairy cattle, etc.).
Due to the recent distribution of group raising type, livestock pens for labor-saving which reduces labor needed for maintenance are increasing. Also, livestock feeding devices are being proposed to periodically feed livestock regardless of the amount of feed.
FIG. 1 is a view illustrating a typical livestock feeding device. The typical livestock feeding device includes a feed tank (10) storing a feed (10a), a livestock pen (20) divided into a plurality of spaces and having a certain size to accommodate livestock, a feed bucket (30) placed in each livestock pen (20), and a pipe (40) including a plurality of branch pipes (41) to supply the feed (10a) stored in the feed tank (10) into the feed bucket (30).
This livestock feeding device is formed into an automated facility such that a user can supply the feed (10a) into the feed bucket (30) by manually or automatically opening a valve of the feed tank (10) at a certain period and thus livestock can take in the feed (10a).
Meanwhile, livestock in the livestock pen are not raised in one livestock pen, and are moved to different livestock pens in accordance with the size thereof.
For example, 1 to 6 month old livestock are raised in a livestock pen having a certain space according to a predetermined number of livestock as shown in FIG. 2A, and 6 to 12 month old livestock are raised in a livestock pen having a space relatively larger than the space of the livestock pen (a) as shown in FIG. 2B. Also, 12 or more month old livestock are raised a livestock pen having a space relatively larger than the livestock pen (b) as shown in FIG. 2C.
Although different depending on the size of the livestock pen or the number of livestock, a pigpen generally includes 16 pens, and a larger pigpen also includes 32 pens.
In this process of raising livestock, the growth and development of livestock can be maintained at an optimal state by appropriately controlling the amount of water and feed and the temperature of livestock pen.
However, since a typical livestock feeding device uniformly supplies a feed in accordance with an arbitrary prediction of a user, a feed is supplied regardless of the condition of livestock.
In other words, when the same amount of feed (10a) is supplied into the feed bucket (30) placed in the livestock pen (20), livestock take in the feed (10a) but the feed (10a) supplied into the feed bucket (30) may remain. In this case, a user cannot know why livestock leave the feed (10a) such as whether or not there is a health disorder in livestock or whether or not the feed (10a) is excessively supplied.
Also, when the feed (10a) remains in the feed bucket (30), a user should clean the remaining feed. In addition, when the feed (10a) is spoiled, hygienic state and cleanness in the livestock pen may become bad.
Also, when the feed is not appropriately supplied in accordance with the age of livestock and is excessively supplied, the cost for maintenance according to the feed purchase may increase.